Zach Reed's '23 senior year at Lebanon Valley College has been one for the record books. He has studied abroad, gained small business experience, interned in state government, and won on the track and soccer pitch.

A triple major in international business, politics, and global studies, Reed spent four weeks with other LVC students in Maastricht, the Netherlands, where he took two classes, including a human rights course taught by Dr. Joerg Meindl, LVC associate professor of German and global studies. As part of the class, students visited the European Union International Criminal Court and attended a case hearing.

The LVC students also studied alongside a group from Xavier University in Ohio, and Reed—a member of LVC's men's soccer team—joined them for his first European soccer match.

"To be in another country on vacation is one thing, but to be there and take classes, travel, meet new people—from the U.S. and beyond—and experience a culture simultaneously is unbelievable," said Reed. "I think the biggest takeaway from the trip was the new-found friendships I made with my fellow LVC students and Xavier students. Those four weeks are something we shared and will remember forever."

When Reed returned home, he teamed up with LVC alumnus Tom Mattiani '18 for an internship at Pull the Pin, a professional golf shop in Lancaster, Pa. 

"I met Tom when he spoke to my marketing class about what it was like building his business, how he obtained the business, and his overall vision for where he wanted to go in the future. The vision and message resonated with me and gave me the idea to reach out to him about an internship," said Reed. 

Reed admits he had never golfed before but knew about the game from his father, who played in college. Mattiani taught him more about golf, his business operations, and the day-to-day responsibilities of being a small business owner.

"I worked with his social media platforms to help them grow and put out content that brought in new customers and reached a broader span of people," said Reed. "It was extremely rewarding to see how Tom has reached a community of people through the game of golf and his shop. Often, he knew every person by name when they walked in or remembered them from a prior visit. My time at Pull the Pin was extremely worthwhile, from learning an entire new hobby to learning the basics of everyday business on a personal level."

This fall, Reed interned in Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf's Correspondence and Constituent Affairs Office. He explored all realms of state government, visited numerous state agencies and the Governor's Residence, and toured the state archives and museum.

"It was interesting to see how government operates and deals with issues throughout the Commonwealth," said Reed. "Governor Wolf and the First Lady made me feel like a valued part of their team. The internship ties into my interest in government work or government agency work." 

Along with his academic experiences, Reed is a standout on the LVC track & field team. As a junior, he was named All-Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) in hurdles and received All-Region accolades from the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. He enters his senior season in LVC's top 10 all-time performances in seven events combined between the indoor and outdoor seasons.

As a wing on the soccer team, Reed played in 54 career games and was recognized as an All-MAC Honorable Mention in 2021 when the team advanced to the conference championship game.

"I attribute a lot of my success to my parents and family," said Reed. "They raised me to set goals, and I don't stop until they are accomplished. For soccer and track, I have always had lofty goals. So, I had to work to give myself the best possible chance to achieve them. 

"In track, I have always wanted more no matter where I stood in my career. I was always ready for the next step, next event, next personal record, etc. It helps to have two younger siblings chasing down your records, too. However, with mentorship from guys like Owen Buhr '22 and Logan Grauer '22, I constantly was pushed in the right direction. They were guys I was constantly chasing, literally, so they gave me the fuel to keep working. This group and team have made it easy to want to do more, achieve more, and keep working."

Reed, who works as a Valley Ambassador in the LVC Admission Office, has also appeared on the MAC All-Academic team and MAC Academic Honor Roll throughout his career. He plans to return to LVC for the upcoming year and pursue a master's degree in intelligence and security studies and use his COVID year of eligibility for one last track season.